title: The role of adult attachment and social support in hoarding disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research concerning the role of attachment and social support in hoarding is currently under investigated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether hoarders experience less social support and more problematic relationships, the degree to which attachment and social support predicts hoarding and whether attachment moderates the relationship between social support and hoarding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures of hoarding, attachment and social support were taken in a cross-sectional methodological design. Hoarders were identified via scores reaching caseness on the Savings Inventory-Revised (SI-R).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hoarders (N = 380) reported significantly higher levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance and significantly lower levels of social support than student (N = 670) and community (N = 379) controls. Attachment and social support predicted 13% of total SI-R scores for hoarders, and attachment anxiety (but not avoidance) moderated the inverse relationship between social support and hoarding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attachment and social support appears problematic for hoarders. Clinical implications and methodological issues are noted.
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield,UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Medard
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychological Services Research at University of Sheffield and Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust,UK.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kellett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D000067836:Hoarding Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult